James Van Der Beek is finding solace in family time amid his ongoing cancer battle.
“Happy day 🌷,” James’ wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, wrote via Instagram on Thursday, October 16, sharing a photo of her husband and his father.
In the pic, James, 48, offered a closed-mouth smile while lounging in a leather recliner. James’ dad, James William, stood behind his son with an equally joyful grin.
“Love that smile ❤️,” actress Nikki Reed wrote in the comments section as James’ former Dawson’s Creek costar Busy Philipps shared a trio of heart emojis.
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James announced in fall 2023 that he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, during which James William moved in with his family to lend a hand. (James and Kimberly, 43, live with their six children in Texas.)
“The way you have shown up when I’ve been down and out this year — without us having to ask, without the expectation of even a thank you has been not just life-saving, but life-affirming,” James wrote in an Instagram tribute to his dad in January. “Moving onto the ranch for when I’m away for treatment. Making lunches, making fires for @vanderkimberly, driving kids, even taking care of the dogs and chickens, but it’s even more than that.”
He continued, “I’m blown away by how you’ve been there for me emotionally as I’ve moved through everything cancer brings up. I know it’s outside your comfort zone, but especially since Mom died, you have come through for me again and again and again in ways that I didn’t even know how much I needed.”
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James further noted that watching his dad as a parent gives him “more confidence” than ever before.
“Thank you for being the best,” James concluded. “I will keep my promise that we won’t ever ask you to change [my youngest son] Jeremiah’s diapers. I love you.”
Kimberly responded in the comments section at the time, calling her father-in-law an “extraordinary human” and “one-of-a-kind.”
As James navigated his cancer battle and slate of undisclosed treatment, his former Dawson’s Creek costars came together to organize a Broadway reunion to raise funds for F Cancer. The one-night-only pilot reading took place in New York City last month, though James was absent because of illness.
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“I can’t believe I’m not there,” James said in a prerecorded video message. “I can’t believe I don’t get to hug my castmates in person, and I just wanted to stand on that stage and thank every single person in this theater for being here tonight — from the cast to the crew to everybody who donated their time and has been so generous.”
Kimberly had attended the event with their children, who all participated in a post-reading singalong of the show’s theme song with the cast and James’ understudy, Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda.
“Going deeper with these ladies has been so bittersweet,” Kimberly wrote via Instagram in late September of James’ costars Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes and Busy Phillips. “They are magic, kind, gifted and sacred. Missed my guy, but the support and the love has been healing to the core.”
